Take a Break
by Gallifrey Byrned
Summary: Coulson sent his team off to go back to their families and such for the holidays. But he forgot that one doesn't have anywhere to go and he decided to spend it with her. Skoulson.
1. December 23

**A/N: Hello! I'm back with another story! If you guys have read my first story, you'd have known that I promised another story and here it is! I hope it's okay! I'll upload the rest before I go off for my vacation again tomorrow. All reviews and criticism welcomed! ^^**

**Disclaimer: We've been through this before.**

* * *

All of them stood in the cargo hold of the Bus, having it parked at the HQ.

"I'm going to miss you so much!" Simmons squeezed Skye tightly as they hugged.

"Alright, Jemma. You can let her go now. Our flight is waiting." Fitz reminded his best friend.

"I'm going to miss you too, Jemma." Skye squeezed her back. The team witnessed the two with a smile as they were the last ones to hug each other. They felt warmth in them to see how close they have grown to each other.

Coulson definitely have a good judgement of people and he had definitely put the right team together.

When they finally let go of each other, Simmons picked up her backpack, waving at the rest of the team as they bid their farewells. "See all of you next year." Coulson waved back at them. FitzSimmons walked out on the ramp, exiting from the Bus to catch their scheduled S.H.I.E.L.D. flight back to Britain, just in time for Christmas Eve.

Soon after they walked away, Ward picked up his duffel bag and patted on Coulson's shoulder, "See you next year, Boss."

Skye and May observed the two.

"You too, Ward. Enjoy your holidays." Coulson replied with a smile.

"I don't think I can last two weeks without a mission. Can't I work with other teams?" Ward whined.

"Look out for your brother, Ward. Take care of him. Talk to him, bond with your family. You'll figure out something." Coulson's calm tone always managed to convince him somehow. Ward nodded in respect to his reasoning. He picked up his bag and started to walk away, before turning around again to nod his head for permission to be dismissed. Coulson nodded back with a smile.

"Take care of yourself, Coulson." May walked up in front of him, already with her backpack behind her.

"I'll be fine," Coulson smiled in reassurance, "You, better take care of the Chans."

"I will," May turned to Skye, "You too, Skye. Stay out of trouble."

Skye smiled and saluted playfully, "I promise you I will."

"See you next year, both of you." May turned and started to walk away too.

When she went out of sight, Coulson turned and started to walk inside. Skye caught up with him, "Are you not going anywhere?"

"I don't have anywhere to go." He turned to see her face full of pity for him, "Oh, don't worry. I've got work to do, anyway."

"Don't you always do?" Skye replied sarcastically.

"Are you not going back?"

"Where do I go? I'll just be staying in the plane, I guess. It's not as if I have anyone else. If S.H.I.E.L.D. is kind enough to give me my van back, probably I'd travelling across the states for the holidays. But apparently, I am not trustworthy enough." Skye held up her wrist and wriggled her silver bracelet.

"Hmm." Coulson turned to walk away inside again.

"Where are you going to be, then?"

Coulson stopped in his tracks, turned to face her and pulled out a set of keys from his pocket, "The sun is setting outside."

"Oh, okay. Wow. That seems to answer my question."

Coulson took her hand gently and walked her towards Lola, opening the door for her and led her inside. Skye sat on the passenger seat, "Okay. Where are we going, AC?"

Coulson kept quiet and sat in the driver's seat, roaring up Lola's engine. He reversed the car down the ramp, exiting out of the cargo hold. When he saw one of the plane's maintenance crew, he stopped him, "Andrew, can you help me prepare a dinner for two?"

"Where exactly, Agent Coulson?" The guy asked him back.

"Out on the runway, behind Lola."

"On it, Agent Coulson."

"Thank you, Andrew." Skye just kept quiet as she witnessed all those, feeling confused and lost. Coulson moved the car again out on the aircrafts' runway, parking it in the middle of the huge plains of tar. Coulson got off the car, opening up the trunk, taking out what seems like a picnic mat.

"Do you have sandwiches in there too? I'm starving."

After he laid out the mat in front of the car, he went back to Skye, opening the door and offered a hand to let her out. Skye took his hand and got out of Lola. He held onto her, leading her to the mat, "I like to watch sunsets."

Skye sat down beside him as Coulson leaned back against the front bumper of the car, "I like how confused I am right now. What are we doing here?"

"Watching the sunset? I thought that was obvious." Skye rolled her eyes at him. Skye likes it when he is all mysterious and quiet but it irks her when he makes decisions on his own, without acknowledging anyone or even giving a clue about what he is about to do. Or maybe it was not that obvious to her what he is trying to do. She leaned on the front bumper of the car but she instantly leaned forward again, "Oh shite. I'm sorry. Can I lean on her?"

Coulson laughed, "Come here." Skye moved up to him and he pulled her closer to him. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in by her shoulder. Skye stretched her legs out and propped her head on his shoulder. As the orange in the sky started to spread and the blue is slowly taking over, the wind blew and Skye could not help but to shiver slightly.

Coulson budged away from her and took off his suit, handing it out to her, "Do you want me to put it on for you?"

"It's okay. I'll put it on myself. Thanks." Skye took it from him. As soon as the she took hold of it, she heard a voice from behind Lola, "Good evening, Agent Coulson."

The two got up to see Andrew in a waiter-like appearance instead of his then orange maintenance, "Agent Coulson, Ms Skye. Dinner is ready for you."

"Dinner?"

"Thank you, Andrew."

"Do you still need me, Agent Coulson?"

"It's okay. I can handle this." Andrew turned around to go back in the black sedan that he had come in to set up with.

"Dinner?"

"You said you were starving. Come on then. Up." Coulson stood and held out a hand to pull her up. Skye put on his suit over herself, feeling the weight of it drooping of her shoulders – Coulson is broader than she thought he was. He continued to take her hand and led her to the small rectangular table covered in a red cloth, where their dinners were both serve on a silver plate. A bucket filled with ice was placed at the side of the table, chilling the wine it came together with.

Coulson pulled out the chair for Skye and she sat. He opened the wine and poured it into the two wine glasses prepared for them, "You're quite a gentleman."

"Hmm," He placed back the wine into the bucket and sat, "Dig in then, don't just stare at me."

While they ate, they talked, they laughed, he held her hand and she lets him. The surroundings were only of their voices and the occasional clatter when their cutleries accidentally hit their plates a little too hard when they cut the steak. As the sky started to turn dark, the lights on the runway turned on, one almost like a spotlight that shines directly above them, making them the centre of attention on the plain runway.

"I like this place." Skye looked up at the stars in the sky above her.

"The HQ?"

"No. the runway, at night – it's beautiful at night. Not many will say they had their dinner out on the runway, under the stars." As she continued to admire the sky, Coulson admired her beauty.

"It's a good thing, then?"

"It's lovely, Coulson."

"Glad you like it." Coulson circled his thumb at the back of her hand, she blushed.

* * *

From the hangar, the maintenance crew gathered with their tools in hand, observing the couple through an LCD TV screen at the corner usually used to show activities on the runway, turning it into a form of entertainment for them, taking a break from their hourly routine of maintaining stuff.

"Coulson didn't want you to be there?" Maria Hill turned to Andrew.

"He sent me away. Said he could handle it. Are you not going to shut the TV off?"

"Oh no. We can take a break from all this stuff," Maria Hill looked around, "This is very interesting. Got a chair?"


	2. December 24

**Disclaimer: ****We've been through this before.**

* * *

Skye woke up, finding herself flopped on the couch in the lounge instead of her bed, her head still aching from the wine night before, remembering both Coulson and her could not make it to their rooms and they crashed on the couch instead. She sat up, seeing a glass of water and a pill of aspirin on the table before her. She noticed a note under the glass, "I'll be out. Ask Andrew for your breakfast."

"AC?" Her voice croaked.

"Miss Skye! You're awake!" A man came in, with a tray of toast and scrambled eggs on a plate. He wore a white t-shirt and black jeans, like Ward always do.

"Andrew?"

"I suppose Agent Coulson did mention to you he went out, did he not?" He placed the tray on the table, beside the glass of water and pill.

"Just call me Skye. Did he tell you where he'd been to?" She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Out to get my tuxedo," Both Andrew and Skye turned to the direction of the sound at the same time. Coulson stopped in his tracks, "What?"

"Out to get your _tuxedo_? Another suit?" Skye questioned.

"It's after 1 in the afternoon. Did you really just wake up?"

"Whatever do you need another suit for?"

"You haven't had your breakfast yet?"

"But you have a whole closet of suits!"

"Maybe I should go." Andrew got up.

"No, stay." The two ordered.

Andrew sat back down again, "Er, okay."

"You don't know?" Coulson tilted his head at her.

"I don't know what?"

"It's Christmas Eve tonight."

"Yeah, so?"

"Every year on Christmas Eve, S.H.I.E.L.D. holds a dinner for their staff – especially for those who has no one or where to go back to because pretty much more than half of them don't have a family, or not anymore. " Coulson explained as he went around the couch to stand behind Andrew, "I'm sorry, Andy. You can go."

Andrew stood up and left, feeling confused and lost.

Coulson continued his explanation, "And I was thinking if you'd like to accompany me?"

"To the dinner?" Skye asked, "It's not any of your classified stuff?"

Coulson shook his head, "Come on. I don't really fancy big dinners but they're going to be pissed if I don't attend. Please?"

Skye massaged her temples and reached out for the pill, swallowing it down with a sip of water. She brought the tray of toast and scrambled eggs nearer to her and started eating, "But I don't have a dress. A formal one, that is."

Coulson lit up, "Is that a yes, then? Okay. Don't worry about your dress. Get Andrew to bring you shopping at the HQ for that. After you ate and cleaned up yourself, that is."

Skye rolled her eyes at him. Coulson smiled, got up and tousled her hair and left for his office.

"Okay. Wait, what? We have a mall in this place?"

* * *

Coulson offered a hand out to her. She looked gorgeous in a simple black dress. She had spent hours in the mall with Andrew trying to pick out the dress but he didn't mind.

"You dress up good, AC." Skye eyed him up and took his hand, "Although I see you in a suit everyday but you dressed up good."

He fixed his bow tie with his free hand, "Thanks. You're gorgeous too."

The two entered the hall and stood at the main entrance for a moment. Coulson held on to Skye's hand that she wrapped around his arm, "You're shaking."

"Well, durh, I am shaking. Have you seen the amount of agents in this hall?" They continued to walk through the crowd of couples, men in tuxedos, women in dresses. Skye held on to his arm tighter as every agent that they walk past acknowledged their presence with a smile as she smiled back at them, nervously. Coulson just smiled as he led her down and walked around the hall. They shook hands occasionally with those who stopped them halfway with the same statement over and over, "Agent Coulson, it's good to see you still breathing." Coulson simply smiled and introduced Skye to them as he proceeded to tell them how he never felt better, listening to them talk about their year had been. When Maria Hill saw the two, she approached them, "Coulson. Good to see you again."

"Hill. Good to see you too. Agent Maria Hill, I want you to meet –,"

"Skye." Maria interrupted the introduction.

"You know me?" Skye's eyes widened.

"I'm going to get ourselves a drink. Anyone?" Coulson tried to let go of Skye's hand from his arm but Skye wrapped both her hands tighter, whispering, "No, no. Please stay."

"You'll be fine." Coulson unwrap it again, smiled and tousled her hair before he went off.

Maria laughed at the interaction between the two. When Coulson went out of sight, Maria tried to engage in another conversation with Skye again, "Coulson's a mysterious guy, isn't he?"

Skye fidgeted with her dress, "He is. Sometimes when he appears to be so calm, he seems a little intimidating too. I don't know how but I just feel like he is x-raying my brain, you know. And then, there are also times when he can be so nice and gentle and prepare you dinner, you get me?" Skye spoke as she tried to look out for Coulson to return.

"It's nice to be around him, eh? He can make a dinner on the runway be _that_ good."

"Yeah, it was a really nice- What? You knew about the dinner yesterday?" Skye shot her eyes at Maria. Maria laughed.

"You do know that the airplane runway has security cameras, right?" Skye nodded and knitted her eyebrows, "You do know that they display the activities of the runway in the hangar right?"

"What?" Skye's mouthed widened. She was about to ask another question when Coulson came in and grabbed her hand, "I couldn't find the drink but they say dinner's going to be ready. I think we should head to our table."

"Oh okay. Good. You're back. Hello." Skye turned to Coulson, gripping his hand instantly as he held hers.

"Table 3, Hill?"

Maria nodded with a smile, admiring the two. Coulson held out his arm to her and Maria took it in hers.

They sat at their table. Coulson pulled out Skye's chair for her, introducing her to the people at the table. Unfortunately for Skye, they shared a table together with Fury and Maria and practically the ones who were there during the battle of New York. Skye never had any problem with the authority but something about Fury just seemed to scare her enough, he makes her feel small. Coulson placed his hand over hers and turned to look at her, "You're shaking again. Are you cold?"

"Yeah, a bit." Skye lied. Coulson instantly took off his suit and placed it over her, pulled her in a little and rubbed her arms, in trying to warm her up, like he did when they were at the runway the day before.

"You okay?" Skye nodded nervously. Truth is, she felt slightly threatened sitting at the table, noticing the glares she received from the people at the table every time Coulson occasionally placed his hands over hers, when he looks at her to make sure she was fine, when he smiled at her when she fumbled with her cutleries.

It was only when the band started to play a slow, calming song, a familiar jazz to everyone, Skye started to relax. Coulson felt the tense in her hand ease off and he turned to her, "Fly Me to the Moon?"

"Huh?" Skye looked at him in confusion.

"You like this song."

"Everybody does."

"Want to dance?" Skye's eyes widened. She shook her head and mouthed a 'No', "Oh, come on. Let's take a break from all this stuff."

Before she could reply, Coulson was already dragging her to the middle of the hall – the dance floor. He twirled Skye around, she, still wearing his suit on her. Skye could not help but to fumble and leaned against him, both her hands on his chest, "AC, people are watching us."

"There will always be people watching us. Let them. Dance with me." He swayed with her. She tensed up but he kept swaying until she was finally dancing with him.

"Fury's looking at us."

"He's only got one eye. He'd tire out soon. Shh. Just dance." Coulson looked straight into her eyes. Shocked, surprised, confused. All her emotions in a pair of brown eyes, "You like this."

"Uh, no. I'm not." Skye denied. Coulson threw her a 'Really?' look. She rolled her eyes, "Okay. Maybe a little because, I don't know, the way people look at us are just –,"

"Hush. It's okay. The reason they do that is because we're the only ones on the dance floor." He managed a smirk, pretty much satisfied with his own self for making the first move, "Just dance."

Skye did. She let him led her around the dance floor, swaying slowly from one song to another. The other agents in the hall admired them, taking their focus of their food to look at the couple. Skye rested her head on his shoulder, burying her face into Coulson's neck. She had one hand on his chest, the other she let him hold. They swayed quietly across the dance floor until they heard a voice called out, "Coulson!"

They looked up, their eyes darting around the hall looking for the source of the voice, "Coulson! Look up!"

The two did so only to see a small ring of mistletoe descending slowly from the ceiling. Coulson laughed as Skye shook her head and mouthed a 'No', "Come on, Skye. It's tradition."

Skye blushed. Truth is, she had long had feelings for the man who had recruited her and she knows Coulson knew it. The thing is, Coulson had feelings for her too but he never knew how to show it to her, afraid that she would break his trust again. But that is one issue he is willing to put aside that night.

The same voice called out again, "Go on, Coulson! It's tradition!" The people in the hall waited. They all know how much of a gentleman Coulson is and it was not surprising that they are waiting for them because they know Coulson would never kiss a girl without her consent.

Skye looked away, hiding away a smile from him. Coulson cupped a chin and tilted it upwards till their eyes met, "May I?"

Skye smiled, acknowledging her consent. Coulson pulled her in closer by her waist, closed his eyes and sealed her lips with his own. Wolf whistles and applause surrounded them and when she parted from him, Skye could not help but to chuckle as she heard him whimper softly. Their foreheads rested on each other's, looking into each other's eyes. When she saw him smile, she placed a hand behind his neck and pulled him in for another kiss.

"When I told Coulson that the girl was a risk, I really didn't expect this." Fury commented and stabbed into his steak with his fork. Maria simply let out a laugh as she watched the other agents lead their partners to the dance floor as other tens of rings of mistletoe slowly descend from the ceiling.

Like Coulson and Skye, the other couples started swaying on the dance floor under the mistletoes.


	3. December 31

**A/N: Here it is, the final chapter! I hope the story's been alright! And thank you so for much for reading this up all the way here! ^^**

**Disclaimer****: We've been through this before.**

* * *

"Andrew!" Coulson ran down the ramp of The Bus, "ANDREW!"

"Agent Coulson!" A man with crew cut blonde hair came running up to him, "What's with the yelling, sir?"

"Gareth, have you seen Andrew?" The man shook his head, "Skye?"

Gareth repeated the action.

"Goddammit."

"Why, Agent Coulson?"

"I haven't seen Skye since the morning! I thought she'd be with Andrew. You sure you haven't seen them anywhere?" He yelled again.

"All I know was that Andrew was called to help out with the fireworks tonight."

Coulson's jaw dropped, "That means Skye is out there on her own? That girl's just going to get in trouble if she went out alone. Are you sure Skye is not with Andrew?"

"Haven't you tried calling her?"

"That's the problem! She left her phone in her bunk!" Coulson held up Skye's phone, "She never go anywhere without it! Are you sure you haven't seen her?"

"He's pretty sure of that, Coulson." Coulson turned to a familiar voice, Gareth went back to his work, "She'd been out with me."

"Hill?"

"Why so worried, Coulson?" Maria went up to him.

"Why didn't you tell me? I was just worried she'd be hacking the system and I'll be getting an ear full from Fury and –,"

"It's okay, AC. I was just helping out with the fireworks tonight. That was it. Andrew was there too. Maria just decided to show me around the HQ. Nothing much, really." Skye came out from behind her, fiddling with the phone Maria had given her to try, "Have you seen Stark's phone? It's so cool you can actually control stuff from –,"

"Goddammit, why didn't you tell me you went out?" Coulson ran up to her and squeezed her in a hug. "What do I say to Fury if he found out I didn't know where you were?"

"Er, okay." Skye patted his back, "You can let go now."

Coulson pulled back and straightened his shirt, "I'm sorry about that. You've been out all day. It's almost time for sunset."

Maria smirked, "Going out for dinner on the runway again?"

Coulson blushed, "There aren't going to be any Buses flying in today. I've checked."

Maria tilted her head and folded her arms in curiosity.

"And all the crew will be relief from work tonight. So, I was thinking –," Coulson saw Andrew step in, "We all camp out at the runway tonight?"

"Are you really going to celebrate New Year in a suit?"

Coulson shrugged his shoulders.

* * *

"Is this what you call camp out?" Andrew settled on the mat, joining Maria and Skye. He looked around, "Almost every crew from the hangar is here. Are you kidding me?"

"Come on, Andrew. Loosen up. Why don't you like it when there are many people around?" Maria snuggled up to him. Andrew smirked, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair.

"Sandwich?" Coulson came up from behind Lola, holding out a picnic basket.

"You have sandwich!" Skye squealed. She sat up and sorted out the plastic cups. Andrew took out the wine from the bucket of ice nearby them and opened it, pouring it into the cups Skye had prepared. Coulson sat down, settling his picnic basket down.

"You've changed, Coulson." Maria voiced out.

"Huh?"

"You've changed. You're much… I don't know. Should I say, spontaneous?"

"Hmm." Maria dismissed Coulson's lack of response.

"Can we sit inside the car instead?" Skye stood up with her cup of wine. Coulson tilted his head quizzically, "I thought we'd have a better view of the fireworks. And it's much more comfy too."

Coulson chuckled and stood up, following her to the car. They sat in the backseat, Skye in his arms, as he finished his cup of wine.

"Is it true?" Skye turned to him.

"Hmm?"

"You being more spontaneous. Is that true?" Coulson shrugged his shoulders. "I like it though."

"You like what?"

"You being spontaneous." Coulson raised an eyebrow quizzically, "But how did that happen?"

Coulson sighed and placed his empty cup aside, doing so for Skye as she handed him hers, "I died."

Skye sat up straight and faced him as she anticipated for his continuation, "It's not really often, you know, to be able to live again after you'd died. And I realised, I haven't done things that really meant something to me until I gathered our team. All of you. You mean so much to me. I want to make sure you are all taken care of. And once in a while, we ought to take a break, you know, from fighting and saving the world. I realised sometimes we just have to do whatever we want to. And when we die, at least we've done something that means something to you."

Skye continued to look at him as he stared back at her before closing up the gap between them, "So, does this mean anything to you?"

Coulson chuckled and lowered his head, "Yeah. I've always wanted to watch the New Year fireworks with someone. And I've always wanted to see Maria and Andrew get together too. I know they've got something between them."

Skye laughed as she took his arm and wrapped herself in it.

"5…" They heard the people on the runway started shouting.

"I've never had someone to celebrate New Year with." Coulson confessed softly.

"4..."

"Me too." Skye replied.

"3…" Coulson cupped her chin and looked into her eyes.

"2…"

"May I?" He asked for consent.

"1!"

Skye chuckled, "Yes, you may."

Coulson placed his lips over hers, feeling her smile underneath the kiss.

"Happy New Year!" The crowd yelled in the background and they heard the fireworks blasted. Coulson and Skye parted and let out a small laugh as Coulson pulled her in and leaned back into the car seat as they watched the fireworks colour the dark blue sky.

"Happy New Year, Skye."

"It already seems to look like it."

* * *

**A/N: Once again, thank you for reading the story! Here I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'm off for a vacation, now. Happy holidays, guys!**

***psst. I do welcome reviews! ^^**


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